r Mrs. Holt. George Western
proposed to marry Cecilia Holt. Of all the world at Rome who had
watched the two together she probably was the last who thought of any
such idea. But even to her the idea must surely have come in some
shape before the proposal. He had allowed her to feel that he was
only happy in her company, and he had gradually fallen into the habit
of confiding to her in everything. He had told her of his money,
and of his future life. He had consulted her about his books,
and pictures he had bought, and even about the servants of his
establishment. She cannot but have expected it. But yet when the
moment came she was unable to give him an answer.

It was not that she did not think that she liked him. She had been
surprised to find how fond she had gradually become of him;--how Sir
Francis had faded in her memory, and had become a poor washed-out
daub of a man while this other had grown into the proportions of a
hero. She did not declare to herself that she loved him, but she
was sure that she could do so. But two reasons did for a while make
her feel that she could not accept him. The one was weak as water,
but still it operated with her. Since she had been abroad she had
corresponded regularly with Miss Altifiorla, and Miss Altifiorla in
her letters had been very strong in her aversion to matrimony. Many
things had been said apparently with the intention of comforting
Cecilia, but written in truth with the view of defending herself. "I
have chosen the better side, and have been true to it without danger
of stumbling." So it was that Miss Altifiorla put it. "You, dearest
Cecilia, have had an accident, but have recovered and stand once more
upon the solid ground. Take care, oh, take care, that you do not
fall!" Cecilia did not remember that any chance of stumbling had come
in Miss Altifiorla's way; and was upon the whole disgusted by the
constancy of her friend's arguments. But still they did weigh, and
drove her to ask herself whether, in truth, an unmarried life was not
the safer for a woman. But the cause which operated the strongest
with her was the silence which she had herself maintained. There was
indeed no reason why she should not at once begin and tell her story.
But in doing so it would appear that she had been induced to do it
only by Mr. Western's offer. And she cheated herself by some vague
idea that she would be telling the secrets of another person. "Had
it been for myself only," she said